Increasingly, engineering graduate programs have emphasized the need to train individuals who are capable of working in diverse teams so they are better able to address complex problems in a global society. Yet, discourse related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in engineering is often focused on recruiting and retaining students who are racially minoritized and/or women in the field. Less attention is given to what students learn about DEI during their graduate training. Drawing from findings across multiple research projects, this talk will explore what graduate students learn about the role of DEI in engineering and the implications these lessons have for racially minoritized students’ retention, success, and career pathways.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Dr. Rosemary (Rosie) Perez is an Associate Professor in the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education at the University of Michigan. She earned her B.S. in biological sciences and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, her M.Ed. in higher education and student affairs at The University of Vermont, and her Ph.D. in higher education from University of Michigan. Dr. Perez’s scholarship has three interrelated lines of inquiry and explores: (a) how people make meaning of collegiate experiences; (b) diverse learning environments and intercultural development; and (c) the professional socialization of graduate students and new practitioners. Across projects, Dr. Perez explores the tensions between structure and agency, and how power, privilege, and oppression affect individuals and groups within higher education. Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, Spencer Foundation, Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, and ACPA-College Student Educators International.